


Bumps and Bruises

by ChiquitaDave



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Coffee Shops, Cycling, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, allow me to project my interests onto pokemon characters for a little bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28557927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiquitaDave/pseuds/ChiquitaDave
Summary: Drew Hayden has never learned to ride a bike. Combined with family he chose to leave and growing up in a super-advanced almost utopia, he feels like he hasn't needed to. When the Mendoza siblings catch wind of this, they both team up to teach him an essential skill of childhood, much to Drew's chagrin.
Relationships: Haruka | May/Shuu | Drew
Kudos: 5





	Bumps and Bruises

They had pulled into a small cafe outside of Petalburg City, a building composed of worn brick and rustic wood accents. Drew could guess what was on the menu before even looking at it. Cold pressed juices, kombucha on tap, and espresso blends that tasted like garbage and were named like the folk bands he listened to. A white person with dreads behind the counter would probably take his order, and he would join the throng of other humans clad exclusively in thrifted sweaters and clothing from REI Co-op. This made it exactly Max’s scene.

Drew wasn’t sure when he had made the switch from insufferable child to insufferable hipster. The Max of yesteryear was replaced by a short-haired, lanky giant that worked out seven times a week and could crush Drew in about any physical activity he chose. Every time they met up, Max was telling them about what recent race he had entered or what his latest splits were. Drew missed his rambling about pokemon. At least hearing about the migratory patterns of Sinnoan starley didn’t make him feel inadequate. 

May opened the car door and waved, getting out to greet her brother. Max was locking his bike up to a ‘No Parking’ sign, wearing a cycling cap and wool pullover sweater, his helmet locked to the frame of his bike. He had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder. Drew assumed he had just come from studying in public somewhere. 

“Hi, buddy! You’re looking great!” May called out. Max reached her and crushed her with a bear hug, earning giggles in response. He pulled away before speaking.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. One of the many mannerisms he had gained from time spent around Norman. He waved to Drew with his other hand. “‘Sup.”

Drew waved back. “Hello.” 

They headed inside, May and Max carrying the conversation and exchanging all necessary pleasantries. Max had a new boyfriend and running the gym was going well. May recently got a promotion at work and was loving her new job as a junior photojournalist. Drew had quickly let his mind wander versus actively participating in the conversation. They got their drinks; Drew had chosen a black coffee and May had gone with something full of sugar and whipped cream that Drew couldn’t remember the name of. She also ordered a piece of chocolate cake, which would send her into a sugar coma as soon as this coffee date was done. Max had expectedly gone with a bottle of cold pressed juice and a cup of almond milk, which he poured into a shaker bottle with a scoop of protein powder he had pulled out of his bag.

“Sorry, I was studying earlier. I haven’t had a chance to get any food in me,” he apologized, shaking the bottle. The sound grated on Drew’s nerves, but he held his tongue. Max could now bend him into a pretzel if he wanted, so he had to be strategic with his choices on what to tease Max about. 

“I couldn’t help but notice you got a new bike,” May commented. 

“I did. She’s a Sauce 3500. One of the best bikes in my stable,” Max began to gush, and Drew inwardly groaned. 

“How many bikes do you need?” Drew asked, confused at Max’s obsession.

“N+1. N being the number of bikes you currently own. Anyway, I paid a lot for her. Latest geometry, all new electronic drivetrain-” 

“Wait, Drew, why don’t you get into cycling? You said you’ve wanted to start exercising more!” May chirped, sipping at her coffee. 

Drew felt his stomach drop. He couldn’t tell them. This would be another source of ridicule for years to come, more ammunition for either Mendoza to lob in his direction. He had to play this well to avoid their questioning. 

“Never really been interested in bikes,” Drew said, sipping at his coffee and trying to stop the conversation in its tracks.

“Oh, you should totally get into bikes! We could go on rides! Go off the beaten path a little bit,” May exclaimed, clapping her hands together. 

“I have a bike that would fit you perfectly. I don’t ride it and recently fixed it up to sell, but I really just want to get rid of it. I retrofitted a vintage mountain bike frame and converted it into a gravel bike,” Max said. 

“You have no reason to say no,” May nudged him, waggling her eyebrows. She was interested in the possibility of a shared interest between them, and unfortunately right in her reasons for pressuring him. Max was offering him a bike for free or nearly free, and May wanted to spend more time with him doing something she enjoyed. Spending time with May was one of his top priorities, and he could not wiggle out of this as hard as he tried.

“You’re turning red,” Max pointed out, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms. “Is there something you’d like to tell us, Drew?” He grinned, having already reached the correct conclusion.

Drew looked down at the floor, muttering. “I have never learned to ride a bike.” 

“Wait, you’re nearly 22! You’ve never learned to ride a bike?” May asked, jaw dropping. 

“Say it louder, May!” Drew hissed, worried that some of the customers had recognized him and noticed this conversation about his lack of cycling skill.

“Dude, Matthew really messed up with you, huh?” Max laughed.

“It wasn’t a very important skill to learn in LaRousse,” Drew countered, face rapidly turning pink yet again as May and Max began to giggle at his expense.

“I’ve biked through LaRousse, actually. I made Bede ride there with me when I was training for my last triathlon. It’s got great infrastructure. No reason you shouldn’t have learned,” Max commented.

“I’m sure he complained the whole way,” Drew said, trying to change the subject. May seemed to be having none of it, putting her fork down and pointing at him.

“We’re going to teach you how to ride a bike!” 

“That’s not necessary-” 

“You are a grown man. This is a kid’s skill. Come on!” May said. “You have no reason to say no.”

“Where is a bike I can learn on?” Drew countered.

“I literally rode here,” Max said. “My bike will fit you. There’s a park about 3 miles away that is perfect to learn at. I’ll meet you guys there?”

“That’s perfect, Max! Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!” May said, squealing. Drew tried his best to contain his abject horror at having two of the worst teachers he knew try to impart a skill on him. 

May had inhaled her cake, excited by the possibility of teaching him something, and they drove to the park Max told them to meet him at. Drew felt like he was walking up to the executioner's block as they found Max near a secluded tennis court, taking the pedals off of his bike. He lowered the seat and handed Drew his helmet, ensuring it fit snugly. Drew swung his leg over the top tube of the bike, planting his rear on the seat. He felt comfortable, both feet planted on the ground. May stood in the background and gave him a thumbs up, grinning widely. Both of the siblings seemed to be done ridiculing him, focusing on the task at hand. 

“Alright, here’s the deal: You’re going to start by sitting on the bike and pushing yourself around. Ignore the cranks. I want you to start feeling the balance of it,” Max said, placing the metal pedals in his pockets. 

Drew took in a deep breath and pushed himself forwards with his feet, causing the bike to roll underneath him. He wobbled a bit, feeling unsteady, but Max and May were both besides him, walking slowly and ensuring that if he fell, they would catch him. They went in several circles around the tennis court, slowly making progress as Drew felt through the needed balance of riding a bike for the first time. He had only taken a spill once, on Max’s side, but Max had pushed him up and kept him from getting bruised too bad. His left thigh and knee were sore, but they continued onwards for another round. When he had a decent grasp of the concept, Max had told him to jump off, reattaching the pedals to the bike. Drew had stood silently as May intertwined her fingers with his. 

“Okay, we’re going to teach you to pedal now. You’ve watched people do it, just push down with each leg and you’ll start moving,” Max said, clicking on one of the shifters as he lifted the bike’s rear wheel. The mechanism at the back shifted, and Max let the bike down with a bounce. Drew hopped on as before, May and Max at his side, and he began to pedal as he had seen others do before. Losing his balance, he swerved to the right and landed on May, who squealed as she tried to hold herself up against his weight. Max pulled him upright, hand on the small of his back, and uttered a gentle, “Try again. I know you can do this.” 

Drew tried, getting a revolution in before having to touch the ground. He tried again. Two revolutions. He was slowly pedaling around the tennis court before he knew it, May and Max jogging to keep up with him. Drew didn’t notice the grin on his face or the joy rising up within him as he conquered a new skill. Eventually, May and Max couldn’t keep up as well, so they took their places on the sidelines, watching him become more acquainted with the strange new sensation. A short while later, it began to grow dark, and Drew rode over to Max, handing him his helmet. 

“Am I a real adult to you both now?” He quipped.

“You were having fun. Don’t act like you weren’t,” May huffed. Drew smiled softly. Max cleared his throat. 

“I can drive the bike I was talking about earlier to your place in a few days, if you’d like. It takes practice, but you’ll get it in time,” Max said.

“I think that I’ll have to drag you out on some biking adventures now!” May clapped. Max shook his head with a smile. 

The visit ended soon after, with Max taking his leave to go and study more for his university classes. May sat with Drew in the trunk of her car, first aid kit at the ready, dabbing peroxide at a scrape he has sustained. 

“I love how you’re cleaning a scrape that has already mostly scabbed over,” Drew said, wincing as the peroxide touched an open portion of his wound. 

“I love how even when I take care of you I’m ridiculed,” May commented, wrapping a clean dressing over his elbow. She kissed the clean cotton wrapping, which Drew gave a quizzical look at.

“A kiss? To make it better?” May said, shrugging as if he knew what she was talking about. Drew shook his head. “Oh, come on. I know your Dad doesn’t have many maternal instincts, but…” 

“Must be a Unovan thing,” he replied. “Like many of the things you tell me and then get mad that I don’t understand.”

“I don’t get mad!” May huffed again. Drew rubbed her back, giving her a small smile. 

“I did have fun today,” Drew said, leaning back to rest his head against the open lid of the trunk. “I just didn’t want to say it in front of Max.”

May burst out into a fit of snorting giggles. “Weenie.” 


End file.
